


The X-Files Advent Calendar

by Green3lf



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Advent Calendar, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, MSR, New Year's Eve, spoilers for Milennium, spoilers for Triangle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 20,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27775711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Green3lf/pseuds/Green3lf
Summary: Scully presents Mulder with an Advent calendar. Will it bring them a Christmas of joy, hope, peace and love? Not without a few misadventures - this is the X-Files!
Relationships: Fox Mulder & Dana Scully, Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Comments: 84
Kudos: 134





	1. Prologue

Scully hung the Advent calendar on the back of the basement door. She’d been cleaning out a drawer in her apartment on yet another _exciting_ Sunday and had come across the calendar her mother had given her a year or two earlier. She’d never even hung it, let alone opened any of the little doors. She was never home and never in the mood. She’d been about to relegate it back to the drawer when she thought about their office, and Mulder. She wondered if it might help to bring a little cheer to their shared space since they spent so much damn time there. She dropped it into her briefcase instead and went back to her cleaning.

On Tuesday afternoon she finally had half an hour alone in the office. Scully carefully pried open door number one and wrote a message in tiny, precise letters. Switching off the lights and locking the door, she smiled, anticipating Mulder’s reaction in the morning. Maybe this childhood tradition would rekindle her Christmas spirit?


	2. Door 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder discovers the Advent calendar.

The X-Files Office

Hoover Building

7 am, Dec 1, 1999

Mulder arrived at the basement door carrying a huge stack of files that he proceeded to shift until it was balanced precariously on just one arm. He fished his key out of his trouser pocket and opened the office door. Once the door was unlocked and ajar, he turned, rearranged his tower of paperwork, and nudged the door all the way open with his hip. He aimed for his desk and managed to lower the files to the desk’s surface without dropping any; not a bad start to a Wednesday morning. He’d take it.

Thus unburdened, he repocketed his keys and walked back to the door to turn on the lights. Since he wasn’t expecting Scully to arrive for another hour or so, he closed the door again to keep in the heat. As he did so, he noticed that on the back of the door was a calendar. He inspected it closely. It was a snowy scene with trees and woodland animals. 24 little ‘doors’, each about an inch square, were scattered throughout the image. Scully must have hung the calendar before leaving on the previous evening: Mulder had been out of the office checking on lab results on his way home, so she had been the last to leave.

Mulder had heard of Advent calendars but had never used one. He wondered if he was supposed to open the first door, or whether he should wait until Scully arrived. He looked over the picture until he spotted the door marked with a number 1. It was on the lower left of the image and showed the base of a tall fir. Beside the tree was a tiny red fox. Mulder grinned and decided it was a sign: he used one neatly manicured fingernail to pick at the edge of the door until it pulled away from the background. He carefully folded it open to reveal a picture of a steaming mug of hot chocolate. On the back of the door was a message printed in Scully’s distinctive hand: “Meet me at the café on 7th and E at 7:20.” Mulder smiled again. Clearly, Scully had known he would be unable to resist peeking at the calendar before she arrived. He rebuttoned his coat and flipped off the light, pausing to relock the door before jogging lightly towards the lift.

It took him just a few minutes to walk from the Hoover Building to the café that he and Scully often stopped at to grab take-out coffees. The strong breeze tugged at the ends of his scarf and swirled leaves and papers around his feet as he paused at the entrance. They rarely dined in, but today when Mulder opened the door he spied Scully in a booth at the back of the space. She looked up when she heard the door and smiled a greeting. Mulder gave her a wave and strode over to join her, shedding his coat and scarf as he did so.

“Good morning, Agent Mulder. I’m pleased to see my guess that you’d be too nosy to wait for me to open the first door on the Advent calendar was correct!” She gave him a cheeky grin, adding, “I’ve ordered for us both.”

“Morning, Scully. Lucky for you I’m so predictable, or you’d be stuck with my breakfast!”

“That’s okay. I ordered you fruit and yogurt just in case.” Mulder’s face fell until Scully smirked at him and pointed to the pancakes and bacon on the menu.

“You’re in a good mood, Scully. What gives?” Mulder slid into the booth facing her.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s the start of December; Advent was always a nice time at my house when I was growing up. It’s supposed to be a time of hope and joy. I thought we might give that a shot.” Scully peered up at Mulder, trying to get a sense of how he felt about her suggestion. Judging from the happy expression on his face, he approved.

“Sounds good to me, G-woman,” he agreed. “Break out the tinsel!”


	3. Door 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's all about managing expectations.

Mulder was up, showered, dressed and well on his way to the office by 6:30 am the next morning. He told himself he was just catching up on paperwork but not even he believed that. He was going in ridiculously early to see what Scully had written behind door number two.

Scully was still tucked up in bed. She had tried all day to add a message to the second door, but Mulder had not left her side once. He had even insisted on walking her to her car when she tried to linger as they were leaving. Her initial thought was to try and beat him to work the next morning, but she quickly realized that he would no doubt go in even earlier than normal to open the next door and that it would start a war she didn’t want to wage. So she set her alarm for 7 am and decided to let Mulder figure out the terms of engagement for himself.

Mulder had been so pleased by Scully’s Advent plan-he’d been in a good mood all day after their surprise breakfast. He loved that she was choosing to be hopeful in spite of the continuing frustrations they faced. Even more, he loved that she was willing to include him in her plan. So when he unlocked the basement door and flicked on the light, shutting the door again and hunting down calendar door number 2 before he’d even removed his coat, his disappointment when he opened it was acute. Behind the little squirrel was a picture of a small, dark-haired boy enjoying a candy cane. Missing was the handwritten message from his partner.

Mulder tamped down his disappointment. Of course Scully wasn’t planning on taking him to breakfast every day for a month! He’d stupidly assumed there would be a message for him each day but Scully had better things to do than amuse him. He left the door open-no point in pretending he hadn’t opened it-and started to remove his coat and unpack his briefcase. Realising that Scully wouldn’t be in for at least an hour, he slumped down at his desk and picked up a file from the stack he’d hauled in yesterday.

Scully arrived at her usual time and quickly assessed the situation as she entered. Mulder was scowling at the file open in front of him, his head propped in both hands. She smiled inwardly, correctly guessing that he was disappointed that no treasure hunt had been waiting for him this morning. It was tempting to let him pout but he looked so sad that she put him out of his misery before going to sit down.

“Good morning, Agent Mulder,” she greeted him brightly. Mulder had the good grace to look up at her and return the greeting. At the sight of her bright face, he straightened and tried to move past his disappointment.

“Morning, Scully.”

She approached his desk and when she was standing before him, reached into her coat pocket and withdrew a red and white striped candy cane, which she presented to him with a flourish. Mulder’s face was transformed with a sheepish grin; he was fairly certain Scully had been able to tell he had been sulking.

Before heading to her desk to begin her workday, she moved to the side of Mulder’s desk, close enough to bend slightly and murmur in his ear. “If you want me to leave you messages then you need to leave me alone in the office long enough to do so, Mulder.” She straightened and headed over to her area, leaving her partner in a much better mood.

“Candy canes make great stirrers in black coffee, you know,” she hinted as she settled at her desk. Mulder threw her a cheerful smile as he headed to the coffee machine up on the fourth floor. He made sure to spend a half-hour with Chuck that afternoon while Scully finished up some paperwork alone in the office.


	4. Door 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An invitation.

Mulder made himself wait until 8 am before arriving at the office. He had realized that he was perhaps a little too invested in Scully’s Advent project. He was determined that today he would focus on finding them a new case and let the calendar be the pleasant diversion Scully had intended it to be, rather than the obsession he had allowed it to become.

Scully was already seated at her computer when he entered. She greeted him with a smile and accepted his thanks for the coffee she had placed on his desk. Then she returned to the work on her screen.

Mulder resolutely unpacked his briefcase and fired up his computer before even looking at the calendar. He vowed he would focus on scanning the news and national databases to look for potential cases. He would wait until Scully mentioned the calendar. Had any likely cases been waiting to be discovered Mulder may have been more successful. Unfortunately, there was little in the way of mystery in the unending and deeply depressing list of crimes documented in the papers or reported by the various local and national law enforcement agencies. So when Scully reached for her jacket and announced she was heading upstairs to deliver to Skinner the documents she had been working on, Mulder found himself standing at the calendar the moment Scully closed the door behind her.

The third door took him a moment to spot. It was in the upper right of the picture and decorated with a small red cardinal, perched on the branch of a tall, snow-laden fir. Mulder now knew to look for the tell-tale fold in the cardboard that indicated Scully had already opened then reclosed the door. Sure enough, there was a faint line where the door would swing open. Mulder ran his nail along the opening edge to reveal a miniature pine tree standing in a field covered in thick snowdrifts. Mulder barely looked at the picture before his attention shifted to the back of the cardboard door. He was embarrassed at how relieved he felt when he saw Scully’s precise script adorning the blue card.

‘Help me pick out a tree tomorrow? My place at 8? Wear your beanie!’

Scully didn’t need to check the calendar when she returned. The dopey grin on Mulder’s face told her everything she needed to know. They worked the rest of the day companionably. When Scully rose to leave that evening Mulder returned her farewell and then added, “See you at 8, Scully.” She gave him a nod and a smile, leaving Mulder to pack up, for once looking forward to a Saturday morning because this one he would spend with Scully.


	5. Door 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully shares some festive family traditions with her partner.

A bright rat-a-tat-tat rang out in the hallway. Scully grinned as she opened the door and saw Mulder, dressed in a green Christmas sweater, complete with Santa hat and pompom. He looked adorable-not that Scully would tell him that.

“You’re the tallest elf I’ve ever met!” she teased. She herself was in a tasteful maroon sweater that complemented her creamy skin and sparkling blue eyes.

“Hang out with a lot of elves, Scully?” Mulder countered.

“Only Frohike,” she quipped, eyes flashing. She was in a good mood too.

Mulder laughed, then shrugged. “You said to wear a beanie. I’m thorough.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans. “I brought you one too,” he added, a little shyly.

Scully accepted the matching red beanie with a little smile. “Thanks, Mulder.”

She indicated her readiness to leave and allowed Mulder to proceed her out the door before she locked up and followed him down to his car.

The Christmas tree farm was about 45 minutes away. The parking lot was already busy when they arrived. Families were bustling about, Christmas carols played from the speakers dotted around the hillside and a large pen of reindeer was surrounded by children. It was all a bit more orderly and suburban than Mulder had imagined, but the sky was blue and the air was clean and crisp.

Mulder parked and then looked to Scully for guidance. This was not within his recent experience or distant memory. Scully had it under control. She hopped out of the car, put on the beanie Mulder had given her and led Mulder straight to a small kiosk, decked out with giant candy canes and fake snow. She handed over a five-dollar bill and received two black coffees. Instead of handing one to Mulder, she kept hold of them both and led him past several free tables and those surrounded by little families to stand at an empty table on the edge of the picnic area, close to a stand of firs and pines that had grown far too tall to be considered for household Christmas trees. It reminded Mulder of the calendar scene. He spied a squirrel, but no foxes.

Scully placed the coffees on the table but told Mulder to wait when he reached for one. She slid her hand into her back pocket and pulled out a small hip flask, quickly uncapping it and doctoring both coffees. The flask disappeared so quickly that Mulder almost thought he had imagined it. Scully grinned at his raised eyebrows and handed him a cup, tapping her mug to his before taking a sip. Mulder sniffed the drink then took a tentative taste. Whiskey! He narrowed his eyes at his partner. She laughed at him then explained.

“It gets cold wandering around out here! It’s an old Scully family tradition. Dad always used spiced rum, but I figured you’d prefer whiskey.”

“Well, if it’s doctor’s orders…” he took a proper mouthful this time. They stood quietly, sipping their coffee and watching the people around them. Mulder thought Scully looked adorable in her Santa hat, but he wasn’t brave enough to tell her that. Not yet.

Drinks finished, they headed out to the rows of trees. Scully quickly selected one for her apartment. Mulder thought they were done, only to discover they were also picking out a tree for Maggie Scully. They were both more careful about that selection. Again Mulder thought they were finished. As they headed back to pay, Scully paused at some potted trees, just the right size to sit on a table. She turned a few back and forth until she found one that was thick and straight, with blue-green needles that looked fresh and strong. She looked up to Mulder, a little hesitant.

“This one would look good in your apartment, Mulder. I can give you a few decorations for it.” She sounded like she expected him to turn down her suggestion, but Mulder was touched. No one else in the whole world cared whether he had a happy Christmas. Just his Scully. He nodded at her and placed a warm hand at her back as she led them to the register to pay and organize delivery. They took Mulder’s little tree with them, Scully nursing it on her lap on the drive home. They arrived back at Scully’s building and she turned to him as he pulled over and switched off the engine.

“I have dinner with my Mom tonight, but would you like to come over tomorrow and watch a movie? We can find some decorations for your tree too.”

“That sounds great, Scully. What time?”

“6:30? I’ll order food. You can bring a movie-something Christmassy?”

“Sure. Trevor can have a sleepover with you till tomorrow.”

Scully frowned. “Trevor?”

“Trevor tree! I’ll decorate him here then take him home tomorrow night.” Mulder gave Scully a happy, silly grin as she slid out of the passenger seat, still cradling Mulder’s little Christmas tree.

“See you tomorrow then, Mulder. Thanks for coming with me today,” she said.

“You’re welcome. Thanks for inviting me!” Mulder watched until Scully (and Trevor) were safely indoors and out of sight before he pulled out and headed to the video store to find the perfect Christmas movie.


	6. Door 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the little things that matter.

Scully’s Sunday routine was pretty well established. When she was in town, she had brunch with her mom after Mass. Sometimes she went to the service, sometimes not. Today she had opted to sleep in and get some of her chores finished before heading out to the restaurant where they always met.

Her mom had asked after Mulder when Scully mentioned that he had helped her pick out the Christmas trees. Her mother smiled knowingly when Scully told her about the little tree they’d bought for Mulder’s apartment, so Scully decided not to mention he was joining her for dinner and a movie that night; there was only so much gentle teasing she could take at one sitting. The topic of conversation drifted on to family matters and various people Scully knew from church, but as she kissed her mom goodbye, Maggie gave her a cheeky grin and suggested she have Mulder help decorate her own Christmas tree once it was delivered, since “He’d be able to put the angel on top without needing a ladder!” Scully just smiled and waved goodbye. What response could she possibly give that she hadn’t made a dozen times before?

Mulder woke early and made himself a coffee before heading to his couch to read. He’d picked up the book from the airport on their last trip. It was the third instalment of the ‘Silence of the Lambs’ series. He picked apart the profiling details but was quietly intrigued by the characters and their motivations. He’d never been to Florence but had read enough Italian poetry during his time at Oxford for the setting to feel familiar. The tiny FBI agent rang a few bells for him too!

Once it was light out, he went for a run and then managed to find a pick-up basketball game a couple of blocks from home. He headed home for a shower and some lunch then did his washing and cleaned the fish tank. Just his regular Sunday habits, only this week he completed each activity with the ghost of a smile on his face; he was having a movie night with Scully!

Scully had spent her afternoon cleaning before finding the Christmas decorations and then taking her usual long bubble bath. She was reading Bill Bryson’s latest. ‘A Walk In The Woods.’ She’d give it to Mulder when she was finished. Maybe he’d pick up some hiking tips. God knows he could use them!

By the time Mulder knocked at the apartment door she was dressed and had ordered them their usual selections from the local Chinese restaurant. The food arrived about 10 minutes after Mulder. They decided to eat before starting the movie.

“How was your day, Scully?” Mulder asked.

“Good thanks. I had brunch with Mom-she sends her love, by the way. I think she loves you more than she loves me!” Scully teased. Mulder’s cheeks were tinged with pink and he ducked his head, chuckling. “What did you do?”

“I went for a run, cleaned out the fish tank… You know me. It’s a social whirl!”

Scully smiled at him. She knew he hated filling in the weekend if they weren’t working. She understood; she missed him too. It was good they had reached a place where they could have a meal and watch a movie together without needing the cover of a stack of X-Files to pretend they were working.

They cleaned away the take-out containers and plates and Scully started the movie. She lifted the potted Christmas tree down to the coffee table and placed the box of decorations in front of Mulder. He looked at her helplessly.

“Our trees on the Vineyard, back when we had them, were decorated ‘properly’ by my Mom or the housekeeper. I don’t think I’ve ever decorated a tree before, Scully.”

Scully’s heart broke a little for the lonely boy he had once been. She took the box of decorations into her own lap and lifted out some gold tinsel.

“This goes on first and you use it to enhance the shape and fill out any gaps,” she explained as she started draping the tinsel around the tree. “Find some decorations you like,” she added, nodding at the box. Mulder took it from her lap and selected blue and green baubles. Scully showed him how to place the smaller ones near the top and the larger ones on the lower branches. She jumped up for a moment and Mulder watched her, wondering if they were done. She soon returned with a bowl from the kitchen, full of red and white striped candy canes, just like the one she’d given to him on Thursday. She hooked one on a branch and then handed him the bowl. Mulder added several more and then sat back to admire their combined efforts.

“It looks really good. Thanks, Scully,” he said sincerely.

“You’re very welcome, Mulder. I think it just needs one final touch.” She looked through the box again until she found what she was looking for. She lifted out a silver star, covered with glitter and glinting in the light.

“I know the Christmas story doesn’t hold any significance for you, Mulder, but you do like stars, so…” her voice trailed off and she stood to wire the star at the top of the little tree.

“I do like stars, Scully,” Mulder agreed. “That’s perfect! Thank you.” He stood to lift the tree off the coffee table so they could finish watching the movie. As he passed Scully, he bent and dropped a light kiss on her cheek. She smiled and smiled again each time she noticed Mulder’s gaze shift briefly from the movie on the screen to his lovingly decorated tree.


	7. Door 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three little words.

Scully slipped into the office early on Monday morning. It had been a lovely weekend-one of the nicest she'd had in a long while. She didn't mind getting to work a little early to keep the Advent calendar surprises coming. She closed the door and locked it too-if Mulder arrived before she was finished at least she wouldn't end up with a concussion.

Before she could organize today’s surprise she needed to deal with the doors from the weekend.

Saturday’s was simple. The picture was of a small boy wearing a beanie and a cheeky, toothless grin. Scully quickly wrote on the inside of that door, “Who wore it better?”. Door 5 hid a silver star so that was easily dealt with too: “Make a wish!”. She pressed the doors closed again, confident that Mulder would check them before he opened today’s picture. Door 6 was the only one that had given her pause when she had been considering her Advent plan, and she still wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She knew what wanted, but in spite of the success of her weekend plans she was still hesitant, and however she decided to approach it, she did _not_ want to be in the room when Mulder opened today’s door.

Scully’s indecision abruptly ended as she heard the mechanical sounds of the elevator at the end of the hallway. She pried open door 6 and wrote her message before she practically threw the pen towards her desk and grabbed up the closest file. She hastily unlocked the door and opened it as Mulder approached down the hallway. He smiled in greeting.

“Morning, Scully!”

“Good morning, Agent Mulder. I’m just heading to the lab to check on that report for the thing next week. Back soon.” Scully was gone before Mulder could ask her about the ‘thing’, or the lab report, neither of which existed. He considered following her, but decided to let her do whatever it was she needed to do; perhaps it was something to do with the calendar. He had learned it was best to be patient in that regard.

Mulder passed through the door that Scully had left ajar, and placed his briefcase on his desk then hung his overcoat over his chair. Thus organized, he headed to the door and closed it so he could check the calendar. He had been wondering about the weekend doors, half expecting to find them blank so he was pleasantly surprised to see the little messages Scully had left for him. The wish that entered his mind when he opened door five was for as many more weekends with Scully as she would grant him-not that he would risk telling her that.

Now he was ready for today’s door. He briefly wondered if he was meant to open it yet-Scully had been in such a rush, perhaps he had interrupted her preparations? Mulder scanned the calendar until he found door 6. It had the telltale crease along the edge of the door that indicated it had already been opened so Mulder correctly assumed Scully had written her message.

His curiosity, never well regulated, got the better of him. He opened the door and his eyes went straight to Scully’s message. He frowned. ‘IOU’. The message by itself made no sense so he looked to the image for context. The frown disappeared as his eyes widened in surprise. No wonder Scully had been in a hurry to leave before he arrived. Mulder knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t have wanted to watch him as he read the message and divined its meaning. He brushed his fingers against the little painting and a smile tugged at his lips. He grabbed his overcoat, checked his pocket for his wallet and headed out the door. He’d give Scully a little more time, as much time as she needed.

Thirty minutes later Mulder opened the office door again.

“Hey, Scully, I got you a coffee; one of those revolting Christmas lattes that you only drink if I’m doing the ordering.” He gave her a cheeky grin as she stood to take the cup from his hand.

“Thanks, Mulder.” Scully met his gaze briefly, then looked away. She knew he’d seen the message-he’d purposely left the calendar door open so she would be in no doubt.

“You’re welcome, Scully,” he said. “After all, you bought the drinks at the Christmas tree farm and dinner last night.” He paused and waited until she looked up at him again. “I owed you.” Colour rose in Scully’s cheeks, making it obvious she had understood his play on words. Mulder's eyes were soft as he looked into hers and his gentle smile and little nod told her he’d received her message too. She wasn’t quite ready to deliver on today’s Advent window but the IOU written next to the little painting of a festive bunch of mistletoe told him that she would be one day. And he'd be right there, ready for her.


	8. Door 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulder's on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm away from home this week and the internet is too patchy for photos. I'll catch up when I get home.

> 8.00 pm
> 
> Hey Mulder. I've just been called into QANTICO tomorrow. I haven't done the calendar yet but you can open it anyway - the treat is in my top drawer. Talk to you tomorrow if I get a break. S

Mulder read Scully's text message with some disappointment. The office was dull without Scully and her dry wit. He went in the next morning with little enthusiasm for the long day ahead. Even the calendar wasn’t much of an incentive since he knew there was no message behind the window. Still, he rose to examine the calendar shortly after he arrived and hunted for door number 7. It was high up in the sky. He peeled open the tiny square and was greeted by a grinning gingerbread man. He pressed the cardboard back so the door stayed open, and took a moment to look back at the mistletoe picture from the previous day. A smile hovered on his lips as he remembered Scully’s nervousness.

Mulder headed over to the desk where Scully kept her belongings. He slid open the top drawer, expecting to see a pastry gingerbread man. Instead, his hand folded around a little felt ornament in the shape of a gingerbread house. A note in Scully’s hand read, ‘M, For your tree. S’. Mulder was touched. He imagined Scully sitting at home and examining the pictures behind the Advent calendar windows, deciding on her plan for each picture. He was certain that somewhere there would be a list of messages and treats. He wondered if yesterday’s message had been on her list or if it had been a spur of the moment decision. He wished he were brave enough to ask. Perhaps the opportunity would arise. In the meantime, he propped up the little decoration on his desk and started a list of his own.


	9. Door 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, that's a tree!

When Mulder arrived the next morning Scully was already working at her computer.

“Good morning, Mulder,” she said brightly, happy to be back in the office.

“Good morning, Scully. You’re early!”

“I have a lot of paperwork from yesterday to write up. I wanted to get an early start.”

“I’ll just get settled and then go and grab us some coffee,” Mulder offered. Scully smiled her thanks then turned back to her computer.

Mulder quietly shucked off his coat and opened his briefcase, removing a couple of files. He hung his coat and glanced at the calendar. Scully wasn’t usually in the office when he opened the doors each day. Should he do it now?

Scully noticed Mulder’s hesitation. “Go ahead,” she said, her eyes already back on her screen.

Mulder approached the calendar and looked for door 8. Hidden in the trees at the centre of the calendar, it took him a while to find. He looked up to see Scully smirking at him. He gave her a grin and then opened the window. Sparkling Christmas lights twinkled in the little window. On the back of the cardboard door was a question, ‘Ellipse, 6 pm?’.

“Did you bring your beanie, Scully?” She smiled up at Mulder and shook her head.

“Well, I’m disappointed, but I’ll come with you anyway. What’s happening at 6 pm?”

“Tonight the President lights the National Christmas Tree.”

“Really? You know, I’ve never actually been to the lighting or any of the concerts.”

“You don't say?” Scully raised one eyebrow and smirked. “It seemed to be a useful coincidence. They have food and drink. We don’t need to stay for the concert.”

“It sounds good, Scully,” Mulder reassured her. “I’ll go and get our coffee.” He slipped out the door, leaving Scully to her paperwork, and her anticipation of the evening ahead.


	10. Door 9

Mulder had been at his desk for about an hour when Scully arrived. She handed him a coffee and a small cardboard box. A quick glance at the calendar told her no explanation was necessary; the ninth door stood ajar. Mulder eagerly opened the box and offered it to Scully. She smiled and shook her head so he removed a cookie for himself and bit into it with a content expression.   
"I guessed you'd prefer coffee to a glass of milk," Scully said as she organised herself for the day.  
"You guessed correctly partner," Mulder replied through a mouthful of crumbs. "Thanks for last night, Scully. It was fun!"  
Scully smiled at him fondly. "It was. I'm glad we're doing this, Mulder. This can be a hard time of year when everyone seems so festive and happy..." she trailed off, knowing she didn't need to elaborate further.  
"Scully..." he began.  
"I'm fine, Mulder. Really fine. I'm enjoying coming up with ideas for the calendar and it's been nice sharing some of my favourite Christmas traditions with you." She smiled at him again and then reached out a hand. "I'll have one of those cookies after all, please."  
"Miss Scully! Cookies for breakfast? I just don't know what's come over you lately!" Mulder teased as he handed over the box.  
"Must be the Christmas spirit," she countered. "I'll have a salad for lunch to make up for it."  
"My treat," offered Mulder, earning himself yet another Scully smile. He was starting to think Christmas might not be such a bad thing after all.


	11. Door 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can you figure out the keyword for the second cipher?

“Hey, we’ve reached double digits, Scully,” were Mulder’s opening words as he opened the office door. Scully looked up at him and blinked herself back from the grim world of the casefile she was reviewing and into the one where a handsome FBI agent was smiling over at her as he stripped off his coat and threw it haphazardly across his desk. This world was chaotic, but it had its moments.

“Good morning, Mulder,” chuckled Scully. “Go ahead, open the calendar.” Scully smiled to herself-she hadn’t really predicted that reaching day 10 would be considered something of a milestone by her partner, but she was glad she’d decided to make today’s message a little different. They didn’t have any pressing work and, as much as the calendar treats had been for Mulder, she had been enjoying herself every bit as much as he had.

Mulder stalked over to the calendar, profiling as he went. Scully hadn’t fled the room, so it wasn’t going to be anything emotionally intimate. She didn’t seem to have food waiting for him today. She was, however, watching him through long, dark eyelashes as she pretended to be working. Hmm. She wanted to see his reaction to this one-maybe he’d been wrong about the intimacy part? He started to feel a little nervous.

Scully was profiling him too as he started rubbing the back of his neck, one of his more obvious nervous tells. She wondered what he was thinking.

Whatever it was, Mulder moved forward and found the appropriate window. He teased the corner of the cardboard square with his nail until he gained purchase and the door opened to his touch. He took a moment to note the picture (a frost covered window, complete with shimmering icicle) before looking to the message. He frowned. Spinning away from the calendar, he shot Scully a narrow-eyed glare before striding to his desk and sliding open the top drawer, grabbing a pen and notepad. He hurried back to the door and started copying the message onto his page, leaning in close to see the tiny characters as he transcribed them.

Any pretense at annoyance was gone. He gave Scully a happy grin as he headed back to his desk to study the message. Scully tried not to react but he saw her bite on her lower lip to keep from smiling-Mulder was just as good at reading her body language as she was his!

RFDJJMQ'R RMIQMTSQY CSR S OSIFSBM ALQ YLU

Mulder looked at the code and quickly began writing out the alphabet, assuming it would be a simple letter substitution code. Scully wasn’t expecting him to take long to work it out, but she’d made it a little more difficult than that.

He quickly realized it wasn’t a straight substitution and the frown appeared between his eyes again. Scully forgot to pretend to work as she watched him puzzle it out. He was chewing on his pouty bottom lip and clenching and unclenching his jaw as he worked. He figured there was a key word needed and tried MULDER, SCULLY, SPOOKY and TRUST before he gave up following the rules. He looked at the sentence again and decided that the apostrophe was probably followed by an ‘s’. He soon made short work of the code after that. With a triumphant grin over at Scully he jumped up and headed out the door and to the elevator. She laughed and returned to her work, knowing her distracting partner would be back very soon.

Sure enough, ten minutes later he burst through the door and walked up to Scully’s desk. In his hands were another cipher and a pair of beautiful, soft, warm gloves.

“Scully, thank you. These are the nicest gloves I’ve ever owned!”

“You’re welcome, Mulder. I’m glad you like them. Have you figured out what they are for?”

“Give me a second…”with another smile he bounded back to his desk to look at the code again. It took him only a moment to realize the cipher was different.

“Sculleeey,” he whined, but she just gave him an evil grin and continued typing.

“Can I have a hint?” he asked.

“It’s bigger than a breadbox,” she replied. He groaned.

KUJFOQ, WDJJ YMU GMKO DGO-RHBSDLA WDSC KO?

Mulder was quiet for a while, then he chuckled. “Scully, you used SKINMAN as the cipher for the first puzzle. That’s hilarious. I’m going right back up to his office to tell him!”

“Mulder! Don’t you dare!” Scully rose to his bait but quickly realized he was only teasing her. “Concentrate on working out the second clue, and shush, I’m nearly finished with this case review.”

“You’re very bossy,” he mumbled.

“You’re just working that out now? You’re a bit slow,” was her rejoinder. Mulder smiled again and returned to the puzzle Scully had set him. Again, he ended up using the punctuation clues and his knowledge of his partner to crack the code rather than discovering the key (he did go back later to figure it out).

“Well, two can play at this game, Miss Scully,” he finally announced, handing her a strip of paper with a flourish. “I’ll go and get us some coffee while you work it out. Don’t cheat!”

“As if I would!”

Scully saved the file she was working on, all concentration lost. It hadn’t occurred to her that Mulder would use her own trick against her. She looked at the message:

ABFQBRS AFLF, G VMTJA JMUB SM DM GXB-RIFSGLD VGSE YMT. KTJABQ

Determined to crack the code before Mulder returned, she didn’t try to guess his keyword. Instead, she did what she knew Mulder must have done. She noticed the hyphen that matched the one in her message and tried out that word. It fit, so she quickly scribbled down the matching letters. That gave her enough to figure out the rest:

DEAREST DANA, I WOULD LOVE TO GO ICE-SKATING WITH YOU. MULDER

Scully’s cheeks flamed as she read the message. Dana. Dearest Dana. The anticipation that had been coiled low in her belly since she had written him that ‘IOU’ on the calendar was further heightened. This was dangerous territory they had crossed into now. She couldn’t see herself going back though, so she’d just have to keep moving forward, whatever that was going to look like. Right now, she’d do that by making a booking for an ice-skating session. She left a note with the time and address on Mulder’s desk for him to find when he returned.

She was about to return to the report on her computer when a question crossed her mind. What word had Mulder used as his keyword? She quickly wrote out the alphabet and underneath matched the letters he had used in his message. She looked at the missing letters for a moment, seeking a pattern that would reveal the key word. Just as she figured it out, Mulder returned with coffee for them both. He placed his coffee on his desk and then crossed to stand in front of Scully, holding out the mug carefully for her to take.

Scully’s eyes sparkled as she looked up to her partner. She smiled as she brought the mug to her lips, still making eye contact with Mulder. “Thank you… Fox,” she said, leaving him in no doubt that his message had been received.


	12. Door 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully takes Mulder ice-skating.

“Tonight,” was the only word written on the calendar door when Mulder checked it. The picture was of a couple dancing to Christmas carols (presumably). The couple were rabbits, but Mulder got the general idea. He wondered how good Scully was at ice-skating. Good enough to suggest this as an activity, he supposed. Actually, he found it quite difficult to envision anything Scully wasn’t good at. He also pondered what she imagined his skating ability to be.

What could have been a long day of idle speculation was saved by a lead on a case. Mulder spent the day on the phone, chasing down witnesses, and on the computer, following up on articles and checking old newspapers. After lunch, he excused himself and headed to the library to use their archives. As he left, he promised to meet Scully at 8.45 pm outside the National Gallery Sculpture Garden. She was reasonably confident he would remember in spite of a potential new case. She had seen him carefully pack his new gloves into his briefcase before he left.

\--

Mulder was already waiting when Scully arrived. He was wearing his gloves and his dark grey sweater with black jeans. Around his neck was slung a pair of black hockey skates. Scully was impressed by his punctuality and his outfit. She could tell he had showered because she could smell his spicey shower gel, but he hadn’t shaved, so a light beard accented his jawline.

Scully was wearing a short red skirt and a white sweater, topped with the beanie Mulder had given her. Her cheeks were already pink from the cool night air and she met Mulder with a smile that dimpled her right cheek. She was carrying white figure skates.

The pair exchanged greetings and headed towards the entrance. The National Gallery exterior was glowing with golden light and the ice surface reflected the cooler glow of the path lamps that surrounded the rink. It looked magical under the open sky, dotted with stars. At this later hour, there were no children or families. Couples and small groups of friends were moving around on the ice while Christmas carols played through the speaker system. Scully handed over two tickets and they were soon inside. Mulder found an empty bench and they sat to trade shoes for skates.

“I figured you must be able to skate since you chose this, Scully. Were you assuming I could skate, or hoping to see me fall on my ass a lot?” he prodded as they sat side by side, lacing up their boots.

“Well, either way, I win,” was the cheeky reply, “but I guessed that you’d at least done some pond skating in your Vineyard days.”

“Correct. And I skated at Oxford too. I’m rusty though, I haven’t done this in years.”

“Nor have I. Let’s hope it’s like riding a bicycle. Ready?” Scully stood and held out a hand to help Mulder to his feet. He took her hand and they made their way to the edge of the ice. Scully was more confident than she had let on. She skated out and away from the entry then turned and skated backwards to see whether Mulder’s muscle memory was working as well as hers. He quickly caught up to her before maneuvering his blades to spray a rooster tail of ice in the air, some of it catching in Scully’s hair. He laughed and skated off before she could retaliate, mindful of the other skaters as he took the corners on one blade. Scully skated more gracefully but couldn’t match his speed. She waited until he was facing away from her and then cut across the ice and slid back in front of him as he rounded a corner. He had to brake sharply to avoid colliding with her tiny form.

“You cheat!” he called out as her laugh drifted back to him as she skated away.

Suddenly the music changed from the high tempo that had accompanied their racing, to the Bing Crosby version of ‘White Christmas’. Scully slowed and turned to skate backwards, allowing Mulder to catch her. When he did he placed a hand on each of Scully’s hips and she took hold of his upper arms. Anonymous among all the other couples who were also swaying to the music, they danced.


	13. Door 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is set in 1999. 12 December was a Sunday. So yes, I did send Mulder and Scully to work on a Saturday, but they get today off!

The ringing phone slowly pulled Scully from her sleep. It was daylight, so she was going to miss Mass, again. Oh well, she’d call her mom at 10.30 am and arrange to meet for brunch. Once she’d dealt with Mulder, who was the only other likely candidate to be calling her at this time on a Sunday morning. She stretched then grabbed her phone, drawing it back so she could burrow into the covers again.

“Good morning, Mulder,” she answered.

“Morning, Scully. Did I wake you?”

“Yes.”

“Um, sorry?”

“It’s fine, Mulder. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to say thank you for last night. It was a lot of fun, Scully.”

“Mulder, is this an ‘I had a really nice time last night’ phone call?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess it is actually. I had a really nice time last night, and I hope we can do it again soon.” They both laughed.

“I think that can be arranged. Now, why did you really call?” Scully prodded.

“Well, I was also wondering if you’d thought about what we talked about last night?”

“Remind me…” Scully yawned, disappearing even further into the soft bedding.

“The new case? I’d like to use today to get organized if you’re okay with that.” Mulder sounded tentative and Scully knew why. They had had this exact conversation many times before. It often went badly.

“Yes, Mulder. I’ve thought about it. I’ll come with you on one condition: we take a full set of camping gear…”

“…but Scully, it’s easily within a day’s drive…”

“Shut up, Mulder. I am not going into the woods with you without matches, a stove and sleeping bags. That’s the deal.”

Mulder laughed, “Deal!”

“Mom has friends from church who camp regularly. I’ll call them from brunch with my mom and see if we can borrow some of their gear. Are you home tonight? I’ll drop it round so you can pack it.”

“Sounds good, Scully. I’ll be home.”

“Good, now hang up so I can go back to sleep.”

“Yes ma'am. Sweet dreams, Scully.”


	14. Door 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully has let Mulder talk her into another 'nice walk in the woods'. This time she intends to be prepared.

“Do you have your gun?”

“Yes, Scully. I have my gun, my phone - fully charged, matches, a spirit stove, sleeping bags, water, food.”

“I still think we should take the tent.”

“Scully…” Mulder sighed. “We’re not even planning on staying overnight-”

“But that’s the problem, isn’t it? We never plan on staying overnight. It just…happens! And if it happens today I don’t want to freeze to death within cycling distance of my apartment.”

“No one is freezing to death in one of these sleeping bags. Why is this one so big?”

“Uh, it’s a double. Mom’s friend didn’t have two singles.”

“Well can’t we leave the single and just take the double?” Mulder knew he was on rocky ground here, but his pack was getting heavy.

“No.”

Mulder sighed and finished loading the car. Scully was leaving her vehicle at his apartment and they were taking his car for the drive up into Patuxent River State Park.

“You know it’s a 50-minute drive, right?”

“Mulder…” Scully’s voice was low and threatening.

“Right. Right. Okay, can we go?”

“Yep. Do you have the file in the car for me to read?”

“Of course!” Mulder flashed her a grin, which she returned, allowing him to relax. He understood her overabundance of caution. Their track record in the great outdoors was less than stellar. Still, they were hardly setting out into the great unknown.

“So… Bigfoot. It’s finally come to this.” Scully’s face was an undecipherable mask, but Mulder could hear the amusement in her tone. She was happy to be getting out of the office. The weather was cold but fine. It had been a relatively mild winter, with almost no snow. They were leaving in the dark of early morning so they could begin their hike at first light. Ann Arundel County was mostly surrounded by water, with Chesapeake Bay being the most famous landmark. Patuxent River Park was at a higher elevation, so colder, but still threaded with waterways.

Scully was flicking through the pages of the file Mulder had started. He had stumbled across an online newspaper account of a ‘bigfoot’ sighting in Ann Arundel from the previous summer. This had led him to the BFRG website, where a number of more recent sightings had been recorded. The most recent two reports were from the Wildlands section of the park, specifically, the protected area.

“So, reports of seeing a tall, furred creature, a strong odour and absence of evidence of other wildlife at the time of the sightings,” Scully summarized.

“Yes, the people making the reports were credible witnesses. They’d been birdwatching, independently, in the region. They had no history of making such reports, are of good standing in the local community, and had no knowledge of the other sighting at the time they made their report. One report was to the National Parks staff, the other to the local police.”

“Has it been investigated by anyone else?” Scully asked, her curiosity getting the better of her in spite of her scepticism.

“The police just mentioned it for officers to be aware. The National Parks crew searched the area during their routine patrols. The Wildlands Protected area is surrounded by hunting grounds, so if a cryptid were in the area it might seek shelter there away from human activity.” Mulder suggested.

“Except for the birdwatchers with their binoculars and cameras.” Scully countered.

“Well, if it were me, I’d rather face down a twitcher with a notebook than a guy dressed in orange carrying a gun!”

“True, although that supposes this creature has the intelligence to make those sorts of decisions.”

“Well, Scully, to survive in these relatively densely inhabited parts of the country without being captured does suggest a level of intelligence, don’t you think?”

“Smart enough to evade grown men in Sasquatch suits? I’m not sure how clever you’d need to be.”

“My suit!” cried Mulder. “We’ll need to go back…”

“Fox Mulder! Don’t you dare turn this car aroun…” Scully trailed off as she noticed Mulder’s shit-eating grin.

“I hate you!” she grumbled.

“No, you don’t.” Mulder countered. “Come on, we’re early. I’ll stop up ahead and buy you a coffee. You’re so grumpy in the mornings!”

Scully nodded appreciatively at the offer of coffee and reached into the back seat for her backpack. She opened it and rooted around inside until she found what she was looking for.

“Today’s calendar picture is a cute little squirrel eating acorns in the snow. I thought this might be an appropriate treat given our plans for the day.” She held out a bag of home-made trail mix for Mulder to take a handful. Plump red cranberries, chunks of dark chocolate and Mulder’s beloved seeds somehow added a festive start to their investigation.

“Thanks, Scully,” Mulder said as he popped the treats into his mouth. “Let’s go squatchin’!”

To be continued...


	15. Door 13 Continued

Four hours later they stopped for a drink. Scully perched on her sleeping bag while Mulder retrieved two drinks from his pack and then leaned back against a tree.

“It’s beautiful here,” said Scully as she sipped her drink and looked around her.

“It is,” replied Mulder. “Though there does seem to be a distinct lack of cryptids.”

“That is true.” She thought for a moment. “Were you really expecting to find Bigfoot, Mulder?”

Mulder looked at her and took a drink. “Expecting to? No. Hoping? Of course!”

Scully smiled over at him. They sat quietly for a beat, listening to the birdsong, the insects and the sound of running water that seemed to come from every direction. Scully tilted her head back against the tree, turning her face into the sunshine that splashed through the branches and dappled the long grass. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun on her skin. When she opened her eyes again Mulder was watching her. She raised an eyebrow at him and he responded with a lopsided smile.

“Ready?” He stood and held out a hand to help Scully up.

“Ready. Where to now?” she asked.

“Further into the Wildlands. If we follow this stream it should take us to where the sightings were reported.”

“Wildlands,” she sighed.

“Come on, Scully, it’ll be a …” Mulder was interrupted by a small finger stretched up to press against his lips.

“Don’t say it, Mulder. Don’t you dare!” Mulder’s eyes smiled at her as she removed her finger and gestured at him to lead on.

They walked for about 20 minutes more, following an unofficial trail that had been created over time by birdwatchers. The long grass buzzed with insects, and birds and butterflies fought for airspace. And then suddenly it all stopped. Scully’s body registered the change before her mind did. A tingling sensation along her shoulders and neck that brought her to a standstill. Mulder turned when he realized she was no longer following him. One look at her face brought him back to her side in 4 long strides.

“Scully,” he began, but she silenced him with a hand to his chest.

“Shh, listen,” she breathed into his ear. “Everything has gone quiet!”

Mulder realized she was right and his hand strayed to his gun. They both looked around sharply, but aside from the quiet, all seemed as normal.

They were still standing pressed together when a foul odour wafted down-stream and assaulted their senses. Scully made a disgusted face and put her hand over her mouth and nose. Mulder bent closer.

“Scully, I promise you, that was not me!” he whispered. She huffed out a laugh and slapped him lightly on the arm. They stayed in position, alert and observant, for another 5 minutes. Gradually the smell dissipated and the sounds of the woodland began to return; first the insects and then the birds.

Mulder finally stepped out of Scully’s personal space and looked at her. His eyes were bright and a smile played on his lips.

“You want to follow that revolting smell, don’t you?” Scully asked.

“Bigfoot, Scully,” he cajoled. Scully flung out her arm in acquiescence.

“Come on then. Let’s go catch Bigfoot.”


	16. Door 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sugar and spice and everything nice.

Just as Scully was about to suggest they turn back so they wouldn’t be trying to find the trail back to their car in the dark, Mulder stopped abruptly in front of her. He crouched down and bent his head from side to side as he tried to make out something on the track.

“What is it?” Scully asked.

“It’s a print. It looks big. Come here, Scully, and see what you think.” Mulder made room for her to squat down by his side. She placed one hand on his thigh for balance as she leant forward to try and make out the indentation in the mud by the edge of the path. The grass around it was tamped down and trapped in the muddy impressions. It was pretty clear something heavy had passed this way.

“Well, it looks like prints leading off the trail. That I will give you.”

“Gee, thanks!”

“It looks like a big biped and I can’t see any claws or shoe marks. That’s the best I can do.”

“Better than nothing, I guess,” Mulder murmured as he stood to look around him. Scully snapped a photo of the clearest of the prints. “The trail seems to cross this boggy ground and then head towards the trees across there,” Mulder pointed.

Scully stood and scrutinized her partner. “You want to follow these tracks don’t you, Mulder?” she finally asked.

“I do, Scully. I really do,” he replied earnestly. His big hazel eyes were soft as he looked at her hopefully.

“You understand that if we don’t turn around right now we will be wandering around in the dark pretty soon?”

“We have torches, and sleeping bags, and a little stove…” Mulder broke off as the woods around them fell silent for the second time that day. They waited, but there was no tell-tale scent this time. After a few minutes, the sounds of the wilderness began to return.

Scully sighed, somewhat theatrically in Mulder’s opinion. After all, she had been the one to insist on camping gear. Since they had carried it all day, it seemed a pity not to use it.

“Fine. Consider this your Christmas gift from me, Mulder.” Mulder beamed at his partner and immediately began to follow the trail of bent grass and muddy indentations, skirting around the worst of the wetness as they headed across the open field to the tree line opposite.

“We’ll follow the trail as long as it lasts and as long as we can see it then look for a likely spot to camp for the night,” Mulder suggested.

“You’re cooking,” was Scully only reply. Mulder smiled again.

\--

Forty-five minutes later and it was growing dark. They had found a clearer print to photograph but had heard nor seen any other sign of Bigfoot or anything else capable of making such a trail. The park had been quite empty most of the day, and now the birders and hikers were all gone. Mulder was in high spirits despite losing sight of the trail now that the darkness was descending. He merely changed focus and began to look for a clearing dry enough and large enough for them to set up camp for the night.

“This way, Scully,” he called, swinging his torch to light the distance between them. “Just through here.” Scully followed the pool of torchlight and her partner’s voice until she joined him on a narrow, leaf-covered trail that led up a small, lightly wooded slope. Just before they reached the top, still sheltered by the crest of the hill, was a clearing, surrounded by pines and covered in soft, springy grass.

“What do you think?” Mulder asked.

“This looks fine, Mulder. We can put our backs to the hill and keep watch out through the trees. It’s big enough to stretch out in the sleeping bags. Do you think we can light a fire here?”

“I don’t see why not. I’ll clear some grass away over there and find some branches. We can use the primus stove to heat some water and food, but a campfire will keep us warm. Maybe Bigfoot will come and join us for some s’mores?”

“Mulder, you are the most optimistic person I know,” Scully smiled as she dropped her pack and began to look through their supplies. “Doesn’t it bother you that we haven’t found any proof?”

“We have prints. We smelt the smell. We experienced the silence of the forest animals. That’s more than we had this morning, Scully.” He paused in his firewood collection to look over at her, kneeling in the pool of light thrown by her torch. “Sometimes I wonder what I’d do if I found absolute proof of Bigfoot, or Big Blue or whatever.”

“A speaking tour, no doubt,” Scully suggested. “Just think of all the slide shows!”

Mulder chuckled. “Most of the time I think the world is more interesting with the proof,” he said. Then he raised his voice to an almost shout, “although, if you’re out there tonight, Mr Bigfoot, stop on by for a drink before bedtime!”

\--

They hadn’t packed the ingredients for s’mores, but there was coffee and canned stew and they were both content. Mulder cleaned up and repacked their trash to be carried out in the morning. The fire was a small orb of golden light in the darkness, big enough to give off a pleasant warmth, but not bright enough to blot out the starry sky overhead. They had unrolled the sleeping bags and were leaning back against the slope of the hill, shoulder to shoulder, heads tilted back to watch for shooting stars and cryptids. Mulder held out the small package he had brought back after his clean-up.

“Chocolate!” Scully exclaimed happily, tearing into the packet and breaking off a chunk before offering the rest to Mulder. She turned to the side and scrabbled through her pack, turning back to Mulder with her small hipflask raised in offering.

“Scully!”

“What? It’s medicinal. A really, really good quality, medicinal whiskey. Since you’ve made it through the day and most of the evening without requiring surgery, I think it’s safe to spilt it between us.”

“You always keep me guessing partner,” was Mulder’s reply as he accepted the flask and took a sip. Scully finished the chocolate in her mouth before taking the flask back and holding it up in a toast.

“To chocolate and whiskey, and hope,” she said and drank deeply.

Mulder accepted the flask back. “To stars, and campfires and perfect moments.” He held Scully’s gaze for a perfect moment, then tipped his head back and drained the last of the whiskey. He handed the flask back to Scully to stow in her pack and then gave her the last piece of chocolate to savour as they resumed their stargazing.

When the weight of Scully against his shoulder suggested that she was soundly asleep, he shuffled himself down in his sleeping back and rolled Scully so she could continue to use his arm as a pillow. 

They slept bathed in starlight as the forest creatures kept watch.

\--

Door 14

“Cinnamon toast!”

“Well, the picture on the calendar for today was spiced cookies. Cinnamon is a spice. I guess I kinda expected we might end up out here overnight.”

They had left enough water to wash their faces, make coffee and hike out. So that’s what they did. Scully left Mulder at his place to get his Bigfoot footprint photos developed and report their ‘sighting’ to the BFRG website. He was excited that the footprints would make his report a ‘category A’ event. Scully drove home shaking her head fondly at her hopelessly hopeful partner.


	17. Door 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santa's little helper needs an early night!

Scully yawned. She was going to have to get smarter about writing on the calendar or put a tracker on Mulder. Being out of the office yesterday meant she had to beat him in today and she had no way to predict how early he would arrive. It was cold and dark and way too early to be at work.

Scully opened the little window to reveal the picture for day 15 of advent. A small puppy, wearing a bright scarf was bounding about in the last of the Autumn leaves. Scully wished she were presenting Mulder with a puppy-she had a feeling he really liked dogs (Queequeg being a notable exception)-but their work commitments would have made that a selfish choice. Instead, she had found him a beautiful, soft scarf at the local craft markets a few weekends ago. She moved over to Mulder’s desk and perched for a moment on the edge of his chair to place the scarf, neatly folded, on the desk. She stroked the soft material a couple of times before resting her cheek against it; just for a moment. The room was very quiet and still, with the puddles of light from their desk lamps casting a soft glow into the darkness. Scully yawned again and brought her arms up to rest on the desk; just for a moment. Her eyes grew heavy, and she allowed them to close; just for a moment.

Scully woke slowly, her cheek warm where it was pressed into the soft wool of Mulder’s new scarf. Her eyes blinked open and the light in the room was still subdued; she must have dozed off for just a moment. She yawned yet again and stretched her arms out along the surface of the desk as she vowed to write on the calendar for tomorrow before she left the office today and avoid another too early start.

More awake now, she sat up and met a pair of amused hazel eyes. Mulder had been sitting in the chair opposite for about 5 minutes, sipping his coffee and waiting for her to wake.

“Good morning, Ms Scully. If that scarf is for me, and I very much hope it is, you better not have drooled on it before I even get to try it on!”

He slid a cup of her favourite spiced coffee across the desk, content to sit and wait for Scully to wake up properly as she gave him a rueful smile, accepted the cup and inhaled the smell of Christmas.

Leaning back in Mulder’s chair she slid the scarf over to him and watched as he put it on and gave her a look of thanks. All in all, Scully decided, it had been worth the early start.


	18. Door 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mysterious gift.

Privately, Mulder thought that a sleeping Scully on his desk was an adorable addition to their office. Still, he had made sure to vacate their space a few minutes before Scully on the previous afternoon so she could work on the calendar and avoid another early start.

So when he arrived at around 7.30 am there was a gift already waiting for him. He frowned at it curiously and closed the office door so he could peel open door 16. A friendly looking reindeer peered out at him. Well, that explained the carrots; at least a little. Perhaps the message would further elaborate? But no, the note left by his own personal elf simply read, ‘Free tomorrow evening?’. Mulder supposed he would have to wait to find out exactly what an evening that required a bunch of carrots involved, but he took up a sheet of paper and wrote a reply for Scully, leaving it on her desk for her to find when she arrived.

Promptly at 8, the door opened and Scully entered, balancing two coffees, one of which she handed to Mulder with a ‘Good morning, Mulder,’ and a smile.

‘Morning, Scully. Thanks,” Mulder returned her greeting and her smile.

Scully headed to her desk to deposit her case and unbundle herself from her outdoor layers. The weather this December had been dry, but the cold wind was reminder enough that Christmas was not far away. Finally settled, she noticed the note and recognised Mulder’s writing. She glanced at him, then up at the calendar, as if to double-check that the one was related to the other. The little open door reassured her that the note was his response to her inquiry. Aware that Mulder was subtly observing her, she looked over at him, hoping her pink cheeks could be explained away by the weather outside and gave him a slight nod. She wasn’t going to call it that, but if Mulder wanted to, who was she to stop him?


	19. Door 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this a date? It feels like a date.

Scully arrived at Mulder’s apartment at 7 pm, as promised. He opened his door quickly, ready to go, bunch of carrots held cheekily aloft. Scully hadn’t told Mulder where they were headed, but the reindeer, carrots, and today’s calendar picture of a sleigh gave him a pretty good idea of what they might be doing. Scully had said to dress warmly.

In the car they chatted about their day-Scully had ended up in the lab on a consult-and listened to the radio. No matter that they had spent so much time together in the past few weeks, they never seemed to run out of things to say to one another.

They reached their destination in about 30 minutes. Rocky Creek Park had stables for horse agistment and riding trails as well as riding lessons and pony rides. A huge barn on site was open to the public. At this festive time of year, the horses sported reindeer antlers and there was mulled wine, Christmas music and sleigh rides. The lack of snow meant that the sleighs had wheels rather than runners, but the warm cuddle blankets and the starry night sky were sufficiently romantic for most of the waiting couples.

It was busy, so Scully had to park some way from the barn. She reminded Mulder to bring the carrots as they locked the car and headed down in the general direction of the lights and noise. Their first stop was at the mulled wine booth (‘What, no hipflask tonight, Scully?’) and then they entered the warm, fragrant barn. It was quiet in here, in deference to the animals that moved about in their stables and pens. Small children were held aloft by parents to see the horses in their stalls and bigger ones were held firmly by the hand to help manage their excitement.

Just inside the barn entrance, Mulder dropped to his knees to pet an old blue heeler who was curled on a blanket in the corner. The handsome dog accepted Mulder’s pats gratefully and, as Mulder knelt at Scully's side, it was all she could do to avoid stroking his thick crop of hair in the same way.

After a final pat and a ‘Good dog!’, Mulder stood and they continued down to the back of the barn where a pen full of straw was the centre of attention. Inside, a trio of small reindeer was basking in the seasonal accolades, as visitors hand fed them with hay and kale.

“Why am I carrying carrots if the reindeer are eating greens, Scully?”

“Patience, Mulder,” was his only reply. Scully was busy scratching the hard little heads of the deer as they butted up close to the fence. Mulder stood at her side and watched her happy face with quiet pleasure. Eventually, Scully ceded her place to the next festive supplicants and turned back to guide Mulder outside.

Scully glanced at her watch. “We have 20 minutes. How about an Irish coffee to keep us warm?”

“Sounds good to me, lead the way.”

Scully took them back to the concession stands and quickly found the coffee cart. Mulder ordered and paid for two Irish coffees and carried them over to the table where Scully was standing. They clinked mugs companionably and sipped the hot drinks as they people-watched.

“How did you find out about his place, Scully?” Mulder asked.

“It’s run by another of Mom’s friends from church,” she explained.

“Your mom has connections everywhere!”

“More like spies-I’m pretty sure the woman selling the mulled wine is one of the church ladies. She’ll be on the phone to Mom tonight to let her know she’s seen me.”

Mulder looked over at the woman, who was indeed watching them. He resisted the urge to wave at her, instead leaning closer to Scully and murmuring, “Hmm, maybe we should really give her something to talk about?”

“God, no! Mom would be so…” Scully’s voice trailed off as she saw the hurt look on Mulder’s face. She’d seen that combination of sadness and guilt before. It was the last thing she remembered before waking up covered in cold slime and wrapped in Mulder’s far-too-big clothes in Antarctica. What did he think she was about to say?

Scully moved her hand over Mulder’s where it clenched on the table, not caring what her mom’s friend saw.

“Mulder?”

“It’s fine, Scully.” He gave her a tiny, lopsided smile that went nowhere near his hazel eyes.

“Mulder, what do you think I was about to say? Mom would be so…?” Scully squeezed his fist and looked at him intently.

“Appalled? Disgusted? Furious?” Mulder’s face was downturned but he watched Scully’s face through his long lashes. He saw her eyes widen and she lifted her hand from his, only to raise it to his jaw and tilt his face towards hers so she could look into his eyes properly.

“No, Mulder. No. I was going to say my mom would be thrilled until she found out it wasn’t real; then she’d kill me. She loves you, Mulder. She asks after you every time I see her, tells me to give you her love, drops very broad hints about how kind and gentle and handsome you are. If we ever…” Now it was Scully’s turn to drop her gaze away. Mulder’s vulnerability had made her speak truthfully, but somehow she had gone further than she intended. Her cheeks flamed red, she could feel them burning in the cold night air.

Mulder glanced back at their observer and turned his body slightly so he could pull Scully to his chest without them being observed. He rested his chin on the top of her head and let her hide away until she had recovered her usual poise. When she gently moved away from him, he bent and placed a swift kiss on her cheek, earning a smile which he returned in full measure.

Scully stepped back and visibly drew herself up then picked up her coffee, draining it in a few gulps.

“Come on, Mulder,” she directed. “Don’t forget the carrots.”

Mulder smiled at the retreating back of his resilient partner, quickly downed his drink and, grabbing the carrots, caught up to Scully in a few long-legged paces.

She took him to the waiting area for the sleigh rides. Scully handed over a pair of tickets to the woman in charge, and then lead Mulder to a nearby pen, where a chestnut mare was waiting her turn to pull the sleigh.

“They don’t like you feeding the horses when they’re working, but they swap them out pretty regularly and it’s okay to give this girl a treat-I asked.” Scully held her hand out and took a couple of the small carrots from the bunch Mulder was holding.

Scully held the carrots and stroked the horse's soft muzzle while she ate. Mulder reached over the fence and used his knuckles to brush the horse's neck with a firm pressure that had the mare pushing into his hand for more.

“Okay, girl, looks like it’s our turn for a sleigh ride,” said Scully as the sleigh returned and a smiling couple alighted.

Mulder and Scully approached the sleigh and greeted the driver. He held out a hand and helped Scully step up into the bed of the sleigh. Mulder’s long legs quickly followed. The driver handed Mulder a thick, soft blanket before taking his own seat upfront. Mulder looked to Scully for permission, and seeing it, pulled her close to him on the seat as he draped the blanket across their laps. His left arm went across the seatback, allowing Scully to cuddle into his shoulder and protecting her neck from the cold breeze. The sleigh moved beyond the crowds as the horse followed the well-known paths of the park. They passed through soft pools of lamplight, under the canopy of trees and then into an open section of the trail.

“Hey, Scully,” Mulder whispered. “Look up!” Scully raised her face from the snuggly wool of Mulder’s sweater and let out a soft gasp. The sky above was full of tiny stars, piercing the darkness and twinkling fiercely in the cold air.

“It’s beautiful!” she proclaimed.

“It is.” They watched the heavens dance above them until the open grassland gave way again to trees, lights and people.

“Hey, Scully,” Mulder said again. She looked up at him.

“Thank you, this is the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”

“You’re welcome, Mulder. But it’s not Christmas yet, it’s still Advent.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he murmured, as he held her a little tighter and pressed a sweet kiss to her temple.

Mulder and Scully were both quiet on the way home, gently reflecting on their evening together. Scully’s car soon drew up outside Mulder’s apartment building and he thanked her again as he climbed out of her car. Just as he was about to close the door, he paused, raised one eyebrow and smiled.

“Hey, Scully? Give Maggie my love.”


	20. Door 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully has Christmas shopping to do and Mulder is at a loose end.

It was late Saturday morning. Mulder had already been for a run, thrown on a load of washing and given the apartment a quick clean. Scully had made it clear last night that she would be doing her Christmas shopping today and Mulder was determined not to bother her. She had put so much effort into their Advent calendar plans and Mulder was just about as happy as he had ever been. So he could give Scully one day to herself, surely? Even if he really wanted to call her and tell her about a haunted house he had been reading about online.

Before his resolve could crumble, Mulder jumped in the shower then dressed. He grabbed his car keys and his briefcase and headed to the Hoover building. The building was never entirely deserted; the work they did here didn’t always stop for weekends or holidays. Yet it was very quiet on this final Saturday before Christmas. Mulder nodded a greeting to the security guard and headed for the lift. He would spend a few hours researching the Larkspur Lane property and then buy some groceries on the way home.

Mulder exited the elevator and headed down the empty, echoey corridor. He unlocked the basement door and switched on the lights. The heating appeared to be working overtime, so Mulder removed his coat and jacket before settling at his desk. He opened his briefcase and removed his notes about the haunted mansion and its ghosts. Sliding open the top desk drawer to grab a pen, Mulder’s hand encountered a small rectangular package. The plain brown paper wrapping had two words written in Scully’s hand: “Open me.” Mulder smiled; Scully had known he would end up at the office when boredom got the better of him. He should have guessed that she would have the calendar ready for him.

Mulder ventured over to the Advent calendar and found the window for day 18. A birds' nest with 3 tiny eggs decorated the exterior. Opening the door, Mulder saw a cozy, indoor scene of a red fox in a green scarf, sitting by a fire and reading a book. Smiling, Mulder folded the door all the way back to read Scully’s message for today. It read, ‘Go home and read this book. Movie night tomorrow?’

Mulder unwrapped the brown paper parcel he had been holding. It was a book of Victorian ghost stories. The first tale was ‘The Canterville Ghost,’ by Oscar Wilde. A perfect ghost story for the lead up to Christmas. Mulder smoothed his hand over the leather binding then quickly moved to pack his case and reclaim his outerwear. He headed for his car and within the hour he was back in his apartment, stretched out on his couch with a glass of whiskey to hand, ready to spend the evening enjoying Scully’s gift.


	21. Door 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner and a movie at Scully's place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't intended to make this quite so romantic, but I think we could all use a little Christmas magic right now! 
> 
> It includes mention of the episode 'How the Ghosts Stole Christmas' but there aren't any spoilers.
> 
> The poem that Mulder recites for Scully is 'Haunted House' by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

From the moment Mulder walked into Scully’s apartment that night, the evening was utterly magical. It was like Scully had created some ethereal liminal zone with just a set of fairy lights and the Billboard top 100 countdown playing quietly on the radio. In this space, tonight, they were not just co-workers, more than friends, not quite lovers. They were just…them. Dana Katherine Scully and Fox William Mulder.

Scully smiled at Mulder in welcome; one of her real smiles, all teeth and dimples. It was the one thing about Scully that Mulder was certain he had never taken for granted. Every one of those smiles was a gift and he had stored them all away, in a quiet corner of his memory, as a shield against those times when the darkness threatened to reach out and engulf him.

Mulder’s smiles were more freely given, but Scully appreciated them all the same. His first one earned him a glass of aromatic spiced rum and his second a little bowl of warm, toasted cashews, salty and glistening with oil (technically, it was possible that the rumbling of his hungry belly might have prompted the latter offering).

“Dinner will be about 30 minutes, Mulder. I hope you can wait,” she grinned as she joined him on the couch.

“It just smells really good, Scully.”

“I hope so, it’s a roast chicken and vegetables. I just threw them all in the one pan so I wouldn’t have to fuss.”

“Did you get all of your shopping done yesterday?”

“Not quite, I’ll have to make some time one night this week, but I’m nearly there. What did you do yesterday?” she inquired with the ghost of a smile, fairly certain what Mulder’s answer would be.

“Well, as you obviously predicted, I ended up at the office. A little elf left me a present there, so I went back home and read ghost stories all night. Thank you, elf.” Mulder leant towards Scully and bumped her shoulder with his.

“You’re welcome. I saw it when I was looking for a present for Bill a couple of weeks ago and it made me think of you. I couldn’t resist it.”

“It was perfect. I have it in my jacket pocket, I was going to read you something I thought was cool. Just a second, Scully, let me wash my hands and I’ll grab it.” Mulder shovelled the last of the cashews into his mouth and headed to the bathroom so Scully took the opportunity to go into the kitchen and check on dinner. She opened the bottle of wine Mulder had proffered when he arrived, then muted the radio on her way back to the couch.

Mulder returned with the slim leather book in his hands and sat close to Scully. She tucked her feet up under her and waited for him to begin. The Christmas lights twinkled softly in the otherwise dimly lit room.

“It’s a poem about ghosts, written by Longfellow.” Mulder started to explain. “I feel like he really ‘gets me’, you know?” Scully giggled and settled herself lightly against Mulder’s bulk as he began to read. His voice was low and soft as he began.

> ‘All houses wherein men have lived and died are haunted houses. Through the open doors, the harmless phantoms on their errands glide, with feet that make no sound upon the floors.”

Mulder glanced down at Scully to check her reaction and was pleased to find her watching him, waiting for more.

> 'We meet them at the door-way, on the stair, along the passages they come and go,'

His voice dropped even lower, into a groove that made Scully's belly somersault. 

> 'Impalpable impressions on the air, a sense of something moving to and fro.'

Again he paused and looked to Scully, who was smiling softly, enjoying the pleasure he was taking in sharing this with her. She did not notice his left arm snaking along the back of the couch behind her.

> 'There are more guests at table than the hosts invited,'

Here, he nodded over at the dining table, set for two and waiting for them.

> 'The illuminated hall is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts…'

He held the sibilant 's' for a beat longer than necessary and lowered his head towards Scully as he delivered the final line in a whisper that tickled her skin, so close was he to her now.

> '... as silent as the pictures on the wall.'

As he growled the final words in Scully's ear he lightly ran the tips of his fingers under Scully’s silky hair and up the side of her slender throat. The combination of his gravelly voice in her ear and his unexpected touch forced a shiver all the way down her spine and she jumped as Mulder sat back and laughed.

“Mulder!” she admonished him.

“Sorry, Scully. I couldn’t resist. It’s a good poem, isn’t it? There’s more, but I think you got the gist of it.” A smirking Mulder wrapped Scully in a one-armed hug and smoothed her hair back into place. She reached out and squeezed his knee in an affectionate rebuke.

“Yes, it’s very spooky, and very well told,’ she conceded. “Now we’d better go and have dinner before the ghosts eat it all!” She held out a hand to help Mulder up and led him to the table, leaving him to light the candle and pour the wine while she served their meals. They ate in companionable silence for the most part. Mulder really was hungry and the food was hot and tasty and comforting. He even ate up all his vegetables without complaint!

Pleasantly sated, the pair cleared the table and tidied the kitchen together, chatting about the music they were again enjoying from the radio, and bickering amicably about the haunted house Mulder claimed to have found in nearby Richmond.

“Every Christmas Eve, the ghosts return to entice another couple to join them in the ever after. Christmas Eve, Scully, that’s this week!”

“Yes, Mulder, it is. And before you even ask, I am not going with you to stake out a haunted house on Christmas Eve. I have to be at my Mom’s by 6 am on Christmas morning, with presents wrapped and ready.”

Her firm tone encouraged Mulder to let the matter drop as they finished cleaning and returned to the living room. Scully turned off the radio, blew out the candle on the table and turned on the television. She claimed the remote control and turned out the overhead light, leaving the room illuminated by the lights on the Christmas tree and the glow of the television.

She settled back on the couch, close to Mulder.

“What are we watching, Scully?”

“A Christmas Carol, the old black and white version with Alastair Sim.”

“Perfect!” Scully looked over at Mulder and smiled. She noticed he was still wearing the scarf she had given him.

“I guess you like this, huh? Or should I go turn up the heating?” Scully teased as she held one end of the scarf up against Mulder’s chest, moving it this way and that through her elegant fingers.

“Don’t you dare move!” Mulder whispered, and the arm that had been hovering somewhere along the back of the couch swept down to Scully’s hip and pulled her in close to him. She squirmed playfully for a moment but soon slid her arm in behind Mulder’s waist so she was cuddled into his side. His thumb found a gap between Scully’s sweater and the band on her skirt, and there it stayed, tracing an endless pattern of goosebumps onto her warm, pliant skin.

They sat, right on the edge of something magical, in the space in between, bathed in the glow of the Christmas lights. They watched the movie in a dreamy haze; Mulder pressing kisses into Scully’s hair, or on her temple, and Scully playing with the end of Mulder’s scarf. They both sensed that this wasn’t quite the beginning of something new, not yet. It was a night set apart, for now; just a little dash of Christmas magic. But it was enough. There would be more to come.


	22. Door 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of beer and dumplings.

They left straight from work, leaving their cars in the Hoover Building garage. The calendar picture had been of a festive table laden with jewelled fruits and steaming dishes of meats and vegetables. The message had simply read, “Buy me dinner?”, and Mulder had been quick to assent.

Scully wouldn’t say where they were going and Mulder kept asking her just to be a pest because he liked to gently tease her when he could. In reality, he didn’t care where she was taking him. He’d already followed her to the end of the earth and he’d do it again in a heartbeat. Scully led him briskly along 9th then turned right into H street. Mulder had to stop asking where they were going then; the giant Chinatown friendship arch stretched over the wide street, leaving him in no doubt. The area had been gentrified a couple of years earlier and had less character now but there were still markets and restaurants with authentic Chinese and Taiwanese ingredients and meals.

Mulder’s eyes lit up when he realized where they were going-he was a bit more adventurous than Scully, especially in the days when he was working in the office alone, so he had visited a number of the restaurants before and had some favourites. Scully gestured with a sweep of her arm to indicate that he now had control, so with a hand at her back, Mulder led the way off the main street and down a network of alleyways and side streets until he found the place he was looking for. He’d instantly thought of this little place because it was tiny and cozy and had soft, warm lighting and the best dumplings he had ever eaten.

The restaurant was already busy; always a good sign. They had to wait at the tiny bar for a table to be free. Mulder ordered them both a beer and they clinked bottles in a companionable way before taking a drink. Mulder continued to regale Scully with tales of the couples that had disappeared on Christmas Eve into the haunted house in Richmond, never to return. Scully indulged him until their table was ready, then resolutely kept changing the subject until her sometimes myopic partner took the hint. Then they spoke of Christmas movies, the observation of the Beethoven’s Burst just days before (which led Scully into an explanation of Gamma Rays that left Mulder weak at the knees) and the best dumplings they had ever eaten. Arguing happily, Mulder paid the bill and they left the restaurant. The temperature outside had dropped considerably and the sky was clear. The dingy alleyway afforded them a view of the heavens unobstructed by streetlights, so the stars were bright and numerous. Scully pointed out a constellation and Mulder nodded in agreement, although he was watching her, not the velvety sky.

A blast of chilly wind got them moving again, and they headed back to H Street. Mulder hesitated then, not sure if their evening were over and not wanting to presume. To his delight, Scully took the reins once more and turned them left, further into Chinatown. They crossed the street and headed for the fruit and vegetable market.

Scully produced a string bag from her pocket and led the way through the stalls, some of which were beginning to pack up for the night. She was looking for treats to take to her Mom’s on Christmas day. Mulder followed close at her side, happy to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the still bustling market stalls.

A pyramid of tangerines caught Scully’s attention. It towered over her head, so she looked to Mulder to select some of the fruit for her. He handed them over to the equally tiny woman who ran the stall, wondering to himself how she had stacked the fruit in the first place. The woman named a price and Mulder paid then deposited the dark orange fruits into Scully’s bag. They repeated the process at three or four more stalls, even when Scully could have reached the produce herself.

Satisfied, Scully turned to leave, only to be caught by the hand and guided to a busy stall a few steps further on. They had to wait their turn and Mulder boldly kept hold of Scully’s hand in his. She leaned into his side, just a little. The crowd meant Scully couldn’t see what they were queueing for until they were almost at the front.

“Mulder?” she queried dubiously, as she spotted the bright red toffee coating that covered a variety of fruits threaded on a skewer.

“Trust me,” Mulder replied. “Run an extra half mile tomorrow if it makes your conscience clearer, Scully, but these are worth it."

Scully rolled her eyes but gave him a nod and Mulder handed over the price of two skewers, one covered with grapes, the other strawberries. He held both out to Scully for her to choose, and when she hesitated, he gave her the strawberries to try. She watched in amusement as Mulder demonstrated how to capture the first piece of fruit in his teeth and slide it up and off the stick, into his mouth. He closed his eyes in pleasure as the warm, thin shell of toffee split and the flavour mingled with the grape in his mouth.

Scully laughed at his dramatics and then copied his technique to try a strawberry. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sensation of warm toffee and cool, sweet fruit. She finished it enthusiastically and then eyed Mulder’s grape confection.

“Trade?” she asked with a beguiling smile. Mulder’s eyes sparkled as he handed over the treat. He knew the grapes were even better than the strawberries, which is why he had saved them for her. Scully's blissful expression suggested that she agreed. They walked slowly back to the parking garage, savouring the sweet fruits, the cool night air and the excellent company.

Back at work, Mulder walked Scully to her car and handed her the bag of fruit he had been carrying.

  
“Well, goodnight, Scully,” he said as she took the bag from him. He lingered close for a beat, reluctant to end the evening, then stepped back and held open Scully’s door for her as she climbed in. Her hand covered his for a second, then was gone.

“Good night, Mulder. Thank you for dinner. See you in the morning.”

Mulder watched her drive away and then walked to his own car, wondering what door 21 had in store.


	23. Door 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A busy day keeps Mulder and Scully apart, but she still has his back.

Mulder never did find out what the Advent calendar had to reveal for day 21. He was still in the parking garage when he took the first call.

“Yes, sir. I’m in the building now. Right away!” Mulder confirmed to Skinner as he headed for the elevator. He joined Skinner and a team of agents on the 8th floor. They were investigating a kidnapping of a senior scientist working on a top-secret project and asked Skinner for some profiling support until their own profiler arrived. Skinner had offered them Mulder's expertise. Mulder texted Scully at the first opportunity to let her know he’d be gone most of the morning.

At eleven-thirty the profiler arrived and Mulder was free to go - into a budget review meeting. Scully was already there, seated across the room, so the best they could do was smile across the table in greeting. Sandwiches and drinks were brought in at 1 pm but everyone stayed seated and ate as they worked so there was still no way for Mulder to talk to Scully.

Thirty minutes later and it was Scully’s phone that buzzed. While a suit at the front of the room droned on about the correct processing of receipts, Scully scribbled a hasty note to Mulder. She handed it to him as she left the room with the barest graze of her fingers against his. ‘I’ve just been called in to Quantico to cover for the pathologist in a senior tutorial. I doubt I’ll get back today. I’ll text you later. S’

Mulder acknowledged her with a nod and his shoulders slumped just a little more as he turned back to the meeting. His phone buzzed again at 2:00 pm. Could he return to the 8th floor and help to review the profile they had created based on a new contact with the kidnappers? Thrilled to leave the budget meeting which was apparently never going to end Mulder practically sprinted to the elevator, pulling on his jacket as he went. On the short ride to the 8th floor, he fired off a text to Scully, keeping her up to date with his movements. She didn’t reply.

Finally, just after 6 pm, he checked his phone as the meeting broke up. There were 2 missed calls from Scully and then a long text message.

Mulder, don’t go to the office. Your calendar treat is on the passenger seat in your car. You have a date with the Gunmen at 7. _Apparently_ , you’ve been ditching them for the last month!! They called me to find out what was up with you. Go have fun with your friends. I’ll see you tomorrow. S

Mulder headed to his car to find two six-packs of beer, a giant bag of potato chips and a small bag of sunflower seeds. A note in the bag said ‘Good luck!’ He was going to have to kill the Gunmen for telling Scully he had cancelled on their semi-regular poker game three times in the last 3 weeks. He’d felt bad about it, but there was no way he was missing a night out with Scully on one of their calendar dates. He’d placate them with the beer and snacks and he guessed Scully already knew why he’d kept cancelling and wouldn’t make him say it out loud. He prepared himself to be thoroughly teased about ditching his friends for a girl. Mulder smiled as he thought of all the evenings he’d spent with Scully in the past month and decided that the teasing would be worth it.


	24. Door 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detectives play at being detectives.

Two tiny robins in Christmas hats were tucked into their warm nest in the hollow of a tree. Between them was a board game covered with tiny playing pieces. The robin in the green hat was rolling a pair of dice in one wing. When Mulder saw the image he immediately had visions of a games' night with Scully. He looked to the back of door 22 for Scully’s message and laughed loudly. Scully had written ‘We are not playing strip poker!’

Mulder was still chuckling when Scully arrived 20 minutes later. She took one look at his goofy expression and smirked at him, thoroughly pleased with herself. They exchanged greetings and made arrangements for takeaway and board games at Scully’s place that night. Mulder trotted off to collect coffee for them both and then their workday passed companionably as they both tried to tidy up any outstanding paperwork before departments shut down for the holidays. At 5 they locked up and separated, Mulder heading home to shower, Scully to her house, hoping to wrap a few presents before Mulder arrived.

At 7:30 pm a knock at Scully’s door heralded the arrival of Mulder and dinner. He’d picked up a pizza on the way and it smelled delicious. Scully grabbed them a couple of drinks and they sat on the floor by her coffee table and ate slice after slice until Scully leaned back with a small groan. “Oh, I’m so full. That was really good. Thanks, Mulder.”

“No problem, Scully,” he replied as he stood to clear away the box and napkins. Scully was experiencing a slight food coma, so when Mulder came back from the kitchen she waved her hand vaguely in the direction of a closet. “The games are in there. Go pick something for us to play.” Mulder did as she requested, opening the closet door and examining the selection. He wondered why she had so many games. Who did she play them with?

As if reading his mind, Scully explained, “Missy really liked to play board games when we hung out. We played them a lot as kids. It was a cheap way of entertaining four kids when moving around so much meant we didn’t always have friends to visit.” She sounded wistful, but not sad. Mulder turned and looked at her to check, and she gave him a soft smile. He nodded and grabbed a game at random and returned to her. Instead of sitting opposite her at the table, he placed the game in front of Scully and then sat adjacent to her at the short edge of the table, deliberately stretching his long legs out and over hers. She giggled at his nonsense and pinched his thigh so he released her. She finally sat up, curled her legs under her and began to set up the game.

“Clue, Mulder? Don’t you get enough mysteries at work?” she asked.

  
“It reminded me of you, Miss Scarlett,” he teased.

“Hmm, does that make you Professor Plum then?” she countered.

“Well, I’m no Reverend Green!”

“You’d make a good professor, Mulder. I could see you in a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches, sitting in your office, reading impossible books.”

“Is that one of your fantasies, Scully?” quipped Mulder without thinking. When he saw the colour rise in Scully’s cheeks he began to apologise, but she spoke first.

“One of them? Yes.” She shot him a sideways glance and saw his eyes widen as he understood her meaning. She tried to maintain her sober expression but exploded with laughter before Mulder could do or say anything more. The tension in the room eased and Mulder laughed along with her.

“Right, just for that, Ms Scully, I am playing Ms Scarlet which means I get to go first!” He finished loading the cards into the envelope and picked up the dice to roll.

“That’s fine. I was the kid sister-I was never allowed to go first, so I’m usually Mrs Peacock. And from the time I was 10, I always won.” Scully arched one elegant brow and indicated that Mulder should roll.

Mulder groaned, “Why does that not surprise me?” Scully gave him a wicked grin.

Scully not only won the game-she was the murderer too! “Mrs Peacock with the candlestick, in the library,” she proclaimed as she showed Mulder the cards that confirmed her win.

“Hmm, I’m surprised it wasn’t the gun-we both know how you like to shoot people,” Mulder teased.

Scully rose to the bait. She leaned closer to him and placed her hand on his sweater over the faded wound she knew to be on his shoulder. Her face was suddenly very close to Mulder’s.

“That was a bit mean, wasn’t it?” she murmured.

Mulder leant into her touch. “Very,” he whispered. “Very mean.” He tilted his head down so he could whisper in Scully’s ear. “But I forgive you.” His deep voice was like honey and it fired off signals to every nerve in Scully’s body. She jerked her hand away from Mulder's shoulder like he was on fire. Mulder leaned back on both of his hands and gave Scully a look; ‘Not yet?’ he seemed to be asking. ‘Ok then, but soon.’

Scully cleared her throat and asked, “Coffee?”

Mulder shook his head and smiled. “No thanks, Scully.” He nodded over at the wrapping paper and scissors littering her dining table. “It looks like you have some more packages to wrap. I better let you get to it.” He rose to his feet and then held out a hand to help Scully up.

She walked him to the door and waited while he layered-up. When he was ready to go Mulder said, “This was fun, Scully. Let’s do it again soon; you need to let me even the score.”

“Ha, good luck with that!” she replied. “I get to pick the game next time.”

“Fine, but if it’s ‘Operation’ you have to play left-handed!”

Scully laughed and, without thinking, pulled Mulder in for a quick hug. “Goodnight, Mulder. See you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Scully. Sweet dreams.”


	25. Door 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scully's Advent adventure is drawing to a close.

“I’m sorry sir, ma’am, but we have to close now,” the waiter apologized.

Scully and Mulder looked around and saw they were the only ones left in the restaurant, the chairs were stacked on tables and a tired-looking cleaner was mopping the floor on the other side of the room.

“Oh, I’m so sorry we didn’t realise,” said Scully as she reached for the check.

“Ah, yes, we noticed,” replied the waiter with a smirk. “It’s no problem, but we really do need to close out the till. Perhaps you could take a walk along the harbour. It’s cold but dry, and the monuments look really nice all lit up at this time of year.”

“That sounds nice,” said Mulder as he rose and pulled back Scully’s chair for her. “What do you say, Scully?”

“Sure,” she smiled up at him. They reclaimed their coats and hats, wound scarves around their throats and headed down to the waterfront pathway, dotted with round lamps that splashed pools of light along the bricks. They continued their conversation from dinner; one unrelated topic after another; each taking a counter position until one allowed themself to be swayed by the other’s argument. Or not.

After 5 minutes of bumping shoulders, Mulder reached for Scully’s hand and held it. She squeezed his fingers and tucked herself a little more into his side. When they reached the view of the Washington monument, they drew to the side of the path to avoid the other walkers. Mulder dropped Scully’s hand, only to find, moments later, that she had pressed her back into his chest. His arms automatically enfolded her and he dropped his chin onto her head, the pompom on her winter hat tickling his nose and making him smile. Scully’s hands came up and covered his. They stood there quietly, content to watch the view and enjoy whatever magic was finally letting them ease into whatever this was between them.

The temperature was dropping as the night wore on, so it was fortunate that their mutual reverie was broken by a large, curly black dog, who bounded up to Mulder’s side and demanded attention. Mulder and Scully both turned and declared the animal to be a ‘very good dog’ until her panting owner turned up, full of apologies. They laughed and assured the owner they had enjoyed meeting their new friend. With a farewell pat, the pair turned and headed back towards Mulder’s car.

“I’m going to miss these mystery excursions, Scully,” Mulder confessed as they walked. “I don’t remember ever enjoying Christmas this much.”

“Just because we’re down to the last window on the Advent calendar tomorrow doesn’t mean we can’t do things like this anymore. Does it?” she ventured.

“No. No, it doesn’t, Scully. And I’m glad you said that because I have an idea…”


	26. Door 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas Eve! Mulder opens the last door on the calendar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for joining me on this fluff-fest! Your kind comments have been much appreciated. I hope these stories have brought a little brightness to the end of a truly craptacular year. Much love, Karen xx

“It’s the last one, Scully.”

“Yes, Mulder, it is.”

Mulder stood in front of the Advent calendar for the final time. The last door was easy to find, being the only one still to open, and it had double doors, as is common for the last day of the season. Rather than opening the little doors, he was reviewing the pictures and messages from the previous 23 days, lightly touching some of the messages and images, a soft smile turning up the corners of his lips. He half-turned until he caught Scully’s eye. “Do you have a favourite, Scully?” He indicated the open calendar doors.

Scully bit her lip, thinking. Mulder tried to guess what she would say. Skating? The sleigh ride?

“Last night was lovely. And dinner in Chinatown-we should do that again soon. But I think my favourite was pizza and A Christmas Carol,” Scully finally decided. Mulder’s face split into a wide grin.

“Mine too,” he said. They maintained eye contact as they both remembered being curled into one another on Scully’s couch.

“The code was fun though,” Mulder eventually added. Scully smiled at him and nodded towards the calendar.

“Go on,” she said.

Mulder slowly turned back to the door. He knew there was no dinner invitation in the offing-Scully had been clear that her family obligations would make her unavailable for the next day or so. She had invited him to join them but the prospect of his presence making Bill sneer and grumble and ruin the day for Mrs Scully and Scully had caused Mulder to reluctantly decline the offer. Now he wished he had said yes. He didn’t care about Christmas, not really, but he was going to miss Scully.

“Mulder,” Scully whined. “Open it for goodness sake!”

“You’re so impatient, Scully,” he spoke over his shoulder. “I’m savouring the moment!”

“Well, if you don’t hurry up I’m going to get coffee without you,” she teased.

“So bossy!” Mulder moved to open the windows. He took one side in each hand and opened them at the same time, with some ceremony. Inside the little cardboard view was a tiny, perfect Christmas village, all in gold and white, with snow falling softly. The message itself was simple. On the left side of the door it said, ‘Merry Christmas Mulder.’ On the right was, ‘Love, Scully.’

Mulder turned to look at his partner, only to find her standing right behind him. In her hands, she was holding a golden snow globe that held a Christmas scene. Mulder took it from her gently and shook the globe so that the snow began to fall. They both watched it in quiet wonder. When the snow had settled, Mulder spoke softly.

“Thank you, Scully. This has been the happiest Christmas I can remember.”

Scully nodded, her eyes bright with emotion.

“I have a present for you, too, Scully, but there’s a bit of a story to it so you can’t open it until Christmas Day. Promise?”

“Well, I don’t know if I can be trusted, Mulder. I really like presents. Why don’t you keep it until tomorrow and I’ll come by your apartment on my way home from Mom’s? _Anyway_ , I need to see if you’ve managed to keep your tree alive for a whole month!”

“That sounds perfect, Scully; I can't wait!”


	27. A New Year's IOU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reimagining of New Year's Eve 1999. After all, I owed you a kiss! Happy New Year-I hope it's a good one for us all!

The brush of Mulder’s hand against hers pulled Scully’s attention from the television screen. She had been watching a couple in Times Square share a New Year’s kiss. As Scully turned inquiringly to Mulder, she realized what he had just pressed into her palm. The small square of cardboard was rough on one edge, where it had been torn from the Advent calendar. It was her IOU; she’d promised him a kiss and it seemed he was hoping to collect.

Mulder stood looking down at her, the hint of a smile gracing his lush lips. He was trying to read her expression, to see if he would be welcomed into her space. Scully’s face was tilted up to his and time itself seemed to expand as he leaned in, closer and closer. He was giving her a chance to turn away, shake her head, step back. Scully wanted none of those things. She watched his lips as they drew closer to hers, closing her eyes only as they finally connected.

It was a sweet kiss, warm, firm and, as far as Scully was concerned, long overdue. Mulder was still watching her as they separated, and he caught her look of inquiry. He shrugged in reply. Why now? Why not? And the world hadn’t ended, had it?

No, it had not. They’d managed to avert that particular disaster earlier in the evening, although Mulder’s injured shoulder and the bottles of medication for him in Scully’s jacket pocket spoke to how near a miss it had been. Mulder’s hand caressed her shoulder and Scully pressed lightly into his side as he led them to the exit. She couldn’t help but notice that the weight of his hand on her shoulder had increased by the time they had arrived at the car-his pain meds were starting to kick in.

Scully opened the door to the passenger side and Mulder climbed in awkwardly. Scully grabbed the seatbelt buckle and pulled it down, expecting Mulder to take it from her.

Instead, he sat in the seat, gazing at her fondly. Scully rolled her eyes and balanced herself as she stretched across Mulder to do up his seatbelt. As she leant out wide to avoid his sore shoulder, Scully’s hair fell away from her neck, exposing the length of her elegant throat. When the seatbelt clicked into place, Mulder bent forward and placed a kiss to Scully’s jawline, his breath loud in her ear and hot on her skin. Scully’s right hand slid up onto Mulder’s thigh as she braced in front of him until his left arm started a very intentional slide up and under her shirt and Scully pulled away. Mulder sat back with a satisfied grin. Scully put one hand on either side of his face and turned him towards her. Her fingers ran through his hair until Mulder's eyes slid shut in pleasure. Scully leant in and mirrored Mulder’s movements; she put her lips to his jaw and pressed a hot kiss onto his beard-roughened skin. When she broke the kiss, Scully rested her head against Mulder’s.

“Why do you always start these things when you’re about to pass out on pain meds?” she grumbled. Mulder laughed.

“Dutch courage,” he whispered. “And if you hit me, it won’t hurt so much!”

“I won’t hit you,” she whispered back. “And since when have you been scared of me, Mulder?”

“Since I realized how much I love you.” Mulder’s voice was so soft now that Scully would have missed it had his lips not been at her ear.

“Oh, brother,” she teased, in a coded acknowledgement that this was not Mulder’s first admission of his feelings for her. She raised her head so she could look at him, and her fingers resumed raking through his soft hair until his eyes slipped closed again.

“Come on, you sap, let’s get you home. I’m not carrying you from the car.” She feathered a kiss onto Mulder’s cheek and then carefully closed his door and went around to take her seat behind the wheel.

The drive to Mulder’s apartment was uneventful, mostly because Mulder slept through it. Scully was genuinely concerned about how she would get him from the car to the lift if she couldn’t wake him, so she was relieved when the cold air roused him as she opened his door and finished removing his seatbelt.

“Scully,” Mulder smiled up at her.

“Mulder,” she echoed, tapping his knee to encourage him to swing his legs out of the car. He stood, wincing as the movement pulled at his injured flesh. Scully quickly grabbed her go-bag from the boot of the vehicle and then took Mulder’s hand in hers and led him over to the lift. He was a little slow on his feet but quite steady. The nap in the car seemed to have ameliorated the effects of the medication to some extent.

As they rode up in the lift, Mulder nodded to Scully’s bag. “You staying?” he asked.

She nodded. “Is that okay?”

Mulder looked at Scully intently. “Very okay, Scully,” he confirmed. She smiled at him and he squeezed the hand he was somehow still holding.

They reached Mulder’s apartment and entered without incident. Mulder headed toward the couch but Scully stopped him and steered him to a chair instead.

“It’s twenty minutes until you’re due for the next dose of your anti-zombie antibiotics. I don’t want you to fall asleep until you’ve taken them. Sit here. I’ll just be a second.” Scully took her bag into Mulder’s room and dropped it near the doorway. She noticed the snowglobe she had given Mulder at Christmas held pride of place on his bedside table. It reminded her of the gift Mulder had presented her with on Christmas night- a delicate silver bracelet adorned with a tiny silver pear, now waiting for her on her own bedside table. Each day since Christmas, Mulder had contrived to see her and give her the next charm in the sequence; a pair of doves, a feather, a music note, a tiny golden ring and a next filled with six eggs. They'd been a little too busy for today's charm, but Scully knew Mulder would catch up tomorrow. She continued into the bathroom and wet a face washer. She grabbed Mulder’s toothbrush and applied some paste and headed back to where she’d left Mulder. Now that he wasn’t moving, she could see the heaviness had set back into his features. He would be asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, she thought. What a pity!

Scully handed Mulder his toothbrush and went into the kitchen to get him some water. He used his left hand to awkwardly clean his teeth and then drank some water. Scully moved in front of Mulder and picked up the face washer. She gently wiped his face and neck with the cool cloth. Mulder’s eyes closed again, in enjoyment at first, but then sleep started to take him.

“Hey, wake up!” Scully bopped him softly on the nose with the washer, and Mulder’s eyes flew open. “I repeat, I am not carrying you to bed.”

“You’re no fun, Scully,” Mulder teased.

“Well, when you have two working arms again we’ll see about that,” Scully promised. Mulder raised one eyebrow and a slow grin spread across his features.

“My shoulder hardly hurts now. I can take the sling off,” Mulder suggested hopefully.

“You can barely keep your eyes open. I’m going to require a much more active level of participation than that, Mulder,” Scully countered, laughing at the emotions that were flitting across her partner’s features. “Come on, take your zombie pills,” she added, effectively changing the subject.

“I hate zombies,” Mulder mumbled as he did as Scully requested.

“Me too, buddy, me too,” she agreed. When Mulder set the glass down, Scully quickly untied his shoelaces and removed his boots and socks. “Okay, bedtime Mulder,” she ordered.

Mulder stood enthusiastically then had to grab the edge of the table for balance. Scully chuckled at him again. “Steady on, partner.” She took his hand and walked with him until he was sitting on the side of the bed. “Jeans off, then scoot over to the other side,” she ordered, picking up her bag and heading for the bathroom.

“This is my side,” Mulder protested.

“Yes, but I don’t want to hurt your sore shoulder, so scoot over,” Scully repeated as she shut the bathroom door. Mulder managed to unbuckle his belt and shimmy out of his jeans. He folded them half-heartedly and left them on a chair then dutifully moved across to the far side of the bed.

Scully returned from the bathroom shortly afterwards, wearing her navy blue pyjamas and smelling of mint toothpaste. She’d washed off the last traces of her makeup and brushed her hair into loose waves. Mulder couldn’t help but stare through eyes made heavy with sleep. She dropped her bag back by the door and started walking out of the bedroom.

“Scully…” Mulder called after her. Was she going to sleep on the couch? Surely not!

“Hold on,” she replied, reappearing after a moment, carrying a small pillow, which she carried around to Mulder’s side. She made him move closer to the centre of the bed and then tucked the pillow under his injured side until his arm was supported. She stood over him when she was satisfied with the arrangements, watching his sleepy face. She raised her hand and lightly traced her index finger across Mulder’s brow, down one cheekbone and across his plump pout. His eyes stayed locked onto Scully’s as she tugged his lower lip down until her finger slid off onto his chin and his lip bounced back into place. Scully gave Mulder a cheeky grin and then moved back to the other side of the bed. She climbed in and flicked off the bedside lamp, allowing a blanket of darkness to cover them. She slid across to the middle of the bed until her head was on Mulder’s shoulder and her hand found its way back to his hair, where her nails could trace soothing patterns into Mulder’s scalp. She felt him shiver under her touch. Scully raised herself so she could press a kiss onto Mulder’s waiting lips. She took her time, gently exploring and tasting him, nipping at his lip and sucking it into her mouth. Mulder’s left hand was in her hair, keeping her close. He tried to roll his body towards Scully, to create more points of contact, but his shoulder kept him in place. Instead, Scully hooked one leg across his thighs to keep him from moving, which solved the problem to the satisfaction of both.

When Scully broke their kiss, Mulder actually whined, which made her giggle. She left her face close to his and they traded soft kisses back and forth for a while longer. Mulder’s left arm sought out Scully’s soft skin beneath her silky top, resting his strong on her back with his fingers curled tantalizingly around her side. With one final kiss, Scully lowered her head to rest against Mulder’s chest and she snaked her hand under his soft shirt to heat the skin at his waist.

Scully was sure Mulder had fallen asleep and was almost asleep herself when he spoke.

“Happy New Year, Scully.” He felt her smile sleepily against his chest.

“Happy New Year, Mulder.”


End file.
